


Secret Swords

by Marmidotte



Category: Highlander: The Series, Lewis (TV)
Genre: AU - crossover, BAMF!Hathaway, BAMF!Lewis, Gen, Quickening, Secrets, Swords
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 10:13:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8098201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marmidotte/pseuds/Marmidotte
Summary: It's always his smoking breaks that get interrupted.





	1. Night meetings

**Author's Note:**

> I was browsing authors with Lewis fics, and saw Lewis listed just above Higlander, which made me think of Hathaway's long coat and it just happened.
> 
> [] are Hathaway's thoughts

Hathaway felt it less than a minute after getting out of the station for a smoke. He had stayed a bit late to finish a report, earning himself a "'Night, sergeant, don't work too late" from his governor. And now he was running towards an area of small streets and gardens, having made a slight detour by his car to pick up his sword, a rapier with a white grip, but his had his own personal coat of arms instead of the papal one. His coat flapping slightly in the dark cold night of November, he stopped short at the sight in front of him.

In a secluded cobbled courtyard, a man was leaning on his sword, a beautiful large blade with a simple crescent guard and a shell-like pommel. He was breathing heavily, head bowed, and the last tendrils of lightning were still moving on him. Approaching slightly, Hathaway readied himself. Word on the streets was that a dangerous immortal who did not respect rules nor opponents and who was a very good fighter had arrived in Oxford recently. But his sword was a heavily ornamented sword-cane, not what looked like a northern noble sword. [More like the... sword... that was... currently... on... the... ground].

[Oh]. Hathaway cursed himself for being so slow. The threat had been eliminated. Intellectually, Hathaway knew there were other immortals in Oxford, but as the reputation of the city was along the line of "live and let live", which suited him just fine, he had never sought any of his kind. He crept closer, keeping his eyes on the scene in front of him, and was wondering what to do, when the man raised his head and spoke in a weary tone.

"Well, come on, ye, if you're gonna fight me."

Hathaway's head was spinning. He knew that voice, that accent. He knew the coat, too, now that he was paying attention. He had seen the man less than an our ago. [Impossible, I would have felt his presence each time.] He thought back to when he had first met the man. He was tingling with uncertainty, under stress, and in such a public place, would never have realised who precisely was pinging his immortal-radar. He had felt presences many times, including at the station, and realised that his brain simply would not have made a difference between them.

He shook himself, and stepped out of the shadows. He was deferential, but not really frightened. "I'd rather not, if you don't mind, Sir." He liked his governor a lot, and was not certain he would win a duel against him.

Lewis sucked in a breath rather violently, eyes going round. "Hathaway? You...? Oh."

"It appears so, Sir. Apparently, we're both rather good at hiding secrets."

"Ah. Well. If you really don't mind, yeah." He stood up properly, sheathed his sword, and held out a hand at Hathaway. "Come on, we have a bit of explaining to do, and we'll have to find a way not to be at the station for a while... well, me. But if you want..."


	2. Over the bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talking it out is better than fighting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suddenly wanted to give a bit more background to both of them...

They were seated side by side on the parapet of an old stone bridge over the Thames, with each a cup of coffee in the hands. Hathaway was swinging his long legs. He was also giving surreptitious glances at Lewis. His governor had suggested discussing things in a less public place, and seemed all right with going first.

"Major-General the Lord Robert Lewis, baron of Edale, at your service. I was born in 1721, I fought in the French and Indian war, which got me me title, and some other. I was in the saboteurs during the last World War, and yes, that's why I speak German... and and had just fought two immortals in a row when I got the idea of starting into the force, in the sixties. I had also worked as a prison guard, as a baker, and as a teacher in the meantime."

"Val knew, she saw me standing up after a bullet pierced my heart... Mark doesn't talk to me anymore because he thinks I should have been in the car or I should have shared my immortality with Val. Yes, I know, it doesn't work like that. Lyn understands a bit better, but..." he had to take a break, because that time of his life was still painful."

"Wait! Children! You've got children!" Confusion is evident on Hathaway's face.

Lewis sighed. "No, well yes. I declared them as mine, but Val was already pregnant when we met. And the second one, we cheated with artificial insemination. Neither are genetically mine." His smile was sad.

Hathaway was getting teary eyed. "I'm sorry, Sir."

"Ah, well. And drop the Sir, it's Robbie, or Lewis if you really can't manage it. And I came to Oxford partly for Val, partly for me. The city had a good reputation. I know most other immortals, and we get along fine, somehow. My title is almost empty, the area was included in a Nature reserve a long time ago. I have money, though."

Hathaway was serious but his eyes were shining when he returned the salutation. "James Hathaway, I was really a boy on the Mortemaigne estate... except I was born in 1603."

Lewis could not stop an exclamation. "Wha, you're older than me?"

Hathaway had a small smile. "Yes, apparently. The Lord of that time was an Immortal who thought he could do what he wanted with the children. He tried on me, again and again, and I... well, I had woken up after plunging to my death a day before. I was 14, very angry at life, at him, and swords were available, I caught one and cut his head, because I wanted him to stop, I did not know anything about Immortals before that. I hid, fled the next day with a sword, my few belongings and something to eat."

"Bloody hell, lad! That's... you were 14? You can't be still blaming yerself?"

Hathaway had turned his head and lowered his eyes. "I..."

Lewis lightly pushes him with his shoulder. "No. You don't. I don't know what you've been told, you did not have a classical Immortal education, but no. Yer not guilty. He would have beheaded you, had you not, and he was guilty as sin. You never took anyone's life outside the Game or the lines of the law, I bet?"

Hathaway was thoughtful. "Well, no, but..."

"No buts, no maybes. You trust me? Well, I mean, ach, you know what I mean."

And there it was again, that crooked smile Hathaway loved so much. "Yes, I know. Well, anyhow. I did my fair share of jobs. I was a guard at the Vatican before they switched to parade swords, hence... I was in the orders, and I also was an undertaker." That elicited a snort from Lewis.

"I gave sports lessons, was a student several times, and even had a stint as a florist."

Lewis' eyebrow go upwards, and he shakes his head. "Only you. Wait, did they shove you out of seminary? Or not?"

"No, but I was ordained around 1702, so getting it validated today would be a bit difficult."

"Ha! Obviously. Do you know your watcher? Or previous ones?"

Hathaway seemed suddenly shy. "I ... I don't have one, as far as I know. I kept hidden, and..."

Lewis looked at him mouth open, eyes almost out of his face. "You. You never had a Watcher? How did you manage that?"

Hathaway seemed puzzled. "Well, I ... err... was discreet? Why, is that uncommon?"

"Unco... It's bloody well an exploit! Lad, yer' a bloody marvel. Apart from someone who got to be his own watcher..." Lewis is sniggering at that thought. " So, I take it you don't want to fight more than I do? You'll fit in fine, I'll introduce you to the others. That all right for you?"

Hathaway had a small smile on his face. "I... yes, that would be good."


End file.
